


Eight Months

by pinecovewoods



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: F/M, The Refuge, dont ask how the sentencing works idk, post refuge, reader was in the refuge but now is not, snyder's crazy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-12 05:38:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16867117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinecovewoods/pseuds/pinecovewoods
Summary: The boy finally looks at her, really looks at her, and something inside him clicks."How long?"She swallows, tears brimming."Eight months."





	Eight Months

Her knuckles rap against the wooded door of the Lodge late one night. The effort hurts, but it's worth it when she sees him open the door.

"Wha- Y/N?"

"Hey Racer," she says warily, rocking back on her heels a bit, "sorry for jus' droppin' in but uh...I ain't got nowhere else to go."

The boy shoves the unlit cigar into his shirt pocket, eyebrows furrowing.

"Whad'ya..." he shakes his head, eyes darting up to the slightly drizzling skies, "c'mon, before you's get sick."

He pulls the girl inside the Lodge, shutting and locking the door behind her as she slides her hands into her pockets.

"What'ya doin' here?" Race asks.

"I was looking for somewhere to stay," she shrugs, "walked past 'n remembered you was livin' here."

"Is you lookin' to get arrested again Y/N?" He snaps, placing his hands on her shoulders. "You's can't be runnin' aroun' the city at all hours!"

"God I know that, I ain't in need of a lecture right now," she snaps back, eyes hard as she glares at him.

The boy finally looks at her, really looks at her, and something inside him clicks.

"How long?"

She swallows, tears brimming.

"Eight months."

"Jesus Y/N."

The girl wipes a tear off her face, smudging the dirt that's under her eye as she does.

"Hey, s'okay," he says gently, "you's safe now."

He pulls her into a hug, and the dam holding back her tears breaks.

"God Race I's...I ain't got the words t' explains it. Snyder's changed since we was there last," she sobbed into his chest, "it's worse now, s'terrible in there."

The boys reply is cut off by Jack's strong voice come from down the hall.

"What the hell do we's got here?"

The leader makes his way out of the shadows, half a smirk on his face as he looks at the two slightly younger teens.

"Racer you knows we ain't allowed to have girls in 'ere at night."

The girl sniffles slightly, pulling away from Race's grasp as she wipes her face.

"Sorry, it's not his fault," she says, "I jus' showed up."

Jack furrows his eyebrows, head titled slightly as he looks at her.

"Who's this?" He asks.

"I'm Y/N," she answers, holding her head high.

"And you know her how?"

His question is pointed at Race, and the boy grips Y/N's hand in his.

"We's met a while back," he says quietly, "at the Refuge."

Jack's face softens, eyes darting back and forth between the two. He finally nods.

"C'mon, the rain's stopped, you's can sleep up top with me and Crutchie. After being in the Refuge, you's could use some open air. And don't worry," he says, watching as the girl looks up at Race, "Race can come to, we needs to talk anyway."

They follow the boy up the ladder to the top of the Lodge, the slightly chilled air providing comfort to the girl.

"Who's this?"

"This is Y/N, she's new," Jack replies, gesturing to the other boy, "Y/N, this is Crutchie."

As the two get acquainted, Jack pulls Race to the other side.

"Why didn't you's tell me you was in the Refuge?" He asks.

"It's not exactly somethin' I likes talking about," Race replies, "ya know how it is there Jack."

Jack nods slightly, swallowing a bit.

"How long ago was it?"

"Four years I think?" Race shrugs. "Was before I's showed up 'ere. I was there 'bout a month or so, Y/N a little over three weeks. Well, at least that time anyway."

"That time?"

"She just got back out," Race replies, looking over the older boys shoulder at Y/N, "eight months."

"Jesus."

"That's what I says," Race looks down at his shoes, shaking his head, "I know we ain't allowed to 'ave girls here, but she ain't got anyone else. 'N if we leaves her out there she'll just get snatched up again."

The leader nods, clicking his tongue slightly.

"Okay. We's can keep her here, just gotta keep 'er outta sight of the Delancy's," Jack nods, "you's two can crash up here for a night or two, she's gonna need the open air. Take my mat, I'll sleep next to Crutchie."

"Thank you, Jack, really," Race says, a serious tone, something not usually heard from the boy.

"I can tell she's important to you's," Jack gives the boy a small smile, "and if you ever needs to talk 'bout your time...I'm here."

Race nods as Y/N returns to his side, eyes tired.

"C'mon," he says, guiding her over to Jack's cot, "you haven't slept in eight months."

The two slip under the thin blanket in silence, the girl staring out at the skyline.

"I would'a came and got you, Y/N. You said that you was gettin' outta town," Race whispers, "what happened?"

"I was goin' to, was headed out and everythin'," she shakes her head, "Snyder got me as I got t' the bus station. Threw me's in on a charge'a runnin' away 'n then said since it was my second offense he was doublin' my stay. He kept findin' more reasons to adds on more time."

"Why didn't ya send me's a note or somethin'? I would'a figured outta way to get you out," he says.

"I didn't wanna worry you," she replies, "didn't want ya to get caught neither."

The two fall silent again. She stares at the night sky, Race watching her eyes sparkle under the stars.

"It's so bad in there, Race, so much worse then before," she whispers after a few minutes of quiet, "they's ain't even got us separated in anyway anymore. Shoved us in three to a bed with five beds in a room. It's always black, the lights ain't never on 'n...I wanted to die, Race," she turns to face him, tears once again filling her eyes, "if I hadn't've gotten out today I don't think I would've lasted much longer."

Race is sure his heart stops when those words come out of her mouth.

"D-don't say things like that," he stutters.

She shrugs a bit.

"I thinks I'm gonna get outta town, for real this time," she says, "head West, find somewhere else."

"I wish you wouldn't."

She rolls again onto her back, eyes staring yet unseeing. The boy doesn't push her to talk, he knows that forcing it will just make things worse, so he just lays next to her as a comfort incase she needs it.

Race finds himself waking up some time later, gaze falling on the girl laying in the same position she was when he feel asleep. He props himself up on his elbow, eyebrows furrowed in worry.

"Y/N?"

She sucks in a deep breath, and only then does Race see the tear tracks on her cheeks.

"I can't sleep," she says, "I don't even think I knows what sleep is anymore."

The boy pulls her into his arms, letting her burry her face in his chest.

"I jus' keeps seein' that place," she mumbles, "every time I close my eyes."

"S'okay," Race whispers, "they'll stop, I promise. I still gets them sometimes, but they ain't nearly as bad as they was. 'N I'll be here, as longs as ya need me."

They lay together in silence, Y/N in Race's arms under the moon lit sky. He runs his fingers through her hair, wanting nothing more than to take the memories of that place away from her.

She looks up at him after a few minutes, eyes darting across his face.

Before she can stop herself, her lips are on his and her hand is cupping his cheek. He tastes like bread and cigars, a combination she never thought she would enjoy.

They separate sooner than she would like, but the burning in her lungs keeps her from continuing.

"Sorry," she whispers, gaze downcast to avoid him.

"Shut up," Race replies, connecting their lips once again.

He pulls her even closer, her fingers gliding themselves through his curls. As he kisses her, she feels the eight months of stress and anxiety melt away under his touch.

They pull apart again, Race speaking before he can stop himself.

"Please don't leave," he says, "alls I'm gonna do is worry about you's and I want you to be here. Snyder can't do nothing to you's if you is livin' here and sellin' papes like everyone else."

"Girls ain't allowed here, Race," she swallows a bit, "girls can't sell papes neither."

"So we'll get them to change the rules," he says simply, "we did it before with the strike, if they gives us trouble we just fight it. Jack won't put you out, he ain't like that."

He reaches up and cups her cheek, thumb stroking her skin.

"I missed you so much these past months," he admits, "I thought you was out West livin' some new life but now hearin' that you's been stuck in the Refuge for eight months," he shakes his head, "I never wanna let you's outta my sight again."

"Okay," she nods, smiling softly, "I'll stay. As long as everyone's okay with it, I ain't 'bout to be the cause of any trouble."

"They'll love you, I promise," he says, pressing a kiss to her forehead, "and you's gonna love it here."

"I suppose living with a bunch of boys will be better than the Refuge," she teases, "I missed you too, by the way."

He kisses her again, and she decides that the mixture of cigar smoke and bread is her new favorite thing, because it's him and with him comes safety and comfort and belonging.

For the first time in eight months, she knows that everything is going to be okay.


End file.
